Chronicle staff This report was first published Jan. 17 in the Breaking News column

(MONROE, WA.) -- Monroe Police say the body of a man was found in a creek on Tuesday after he'd been hit by a train.

Just after 6:00 am Tuesday Monroe police officers were dispatched to a BNSF (Burlington Northern-Santa Fe) "train versus a pedestrian collision" that occurred on the east end of Monroe.

As officers arrived on scene they were met by the train conductor and engineer. The conductor told officers he saw a man lying "between the rails" of the train track and immediately put the train into emergency braking.

As the train got closer to the man they saw him try to escape being hit but was unable to clear the area before being struck by the train.

But they were not immediately able to find the man in the area of the impact so police officers, BNSF and Fire District 7 personnel searched the tracks and rail cars.

"A backpack was found a short distance west of the train trestle. Officers began to branch out to search a large heavily wooded area and Snohomish County Search and Rescue was called to assist," said a Monroe PD statement. "At approximately 08:21 am, an officer standing on the railroad trestle spotted a body in a log jam in Woods Creek that runs under the trestle. The Snohomish County Dive team was called out and recovered the body from the river."

The man who died was reported to be in his late 30’s. Identification as well as cause and manner of death will be determined by the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office.